Esteban Maroto

(b. 3 March 1942, Spain)

Esteban Maroto Torres started his career in the early 1960s, working under the guidance of Manuel López Blanco in Madrid. Together with Carlos Giménez, he began an independent artistic career with such strips as 'Buck John' and 'El Príncipe de Rodas'. By 1963, he worked for the British market through Garcia Pizzaro's agency. He also worked through Bardon Art and Selecciones Ilustradas in Barcelona, illustrating series like 'Alex', 'Khan y Khamar' and 'Beat Group' in Spain and 'Alma', 'Capitain Terror', 'Die Funf von Terra' and 'Roy Tiger' for Germany (a.o. in Primo).

Maroto established his unique graphic style in 1967 with his long series 'Cinco por Infinito' ('Zero Patrol', published in Delta 99 and in English by Continuity Comics), followed by 'La Tumba de los Dioses'. His 'Alma de Dragon' in magazine Trinca was also a big success. Maroto was present in Drácula with 'Wolf' and in Pueblo with 'Manly, el Guerrero'.

Maroto drew numerous short stories for U.S. magazines Creepy, Vampirella and Eerie during the 1970s and 1980s, and also worked for Marvel with black-in-white art on 'Conan', 'Red Sonja' and 'Dracula'. His 'Manly' serial also found its way to the States under the title 'Dax the Warrior', published by Warren.

He was also a regular in the Spanish science-fiction magazine 1984 with 'La Esfinge', 'Nave Prisión', 'Zoo/Fantástico' and 'Zodiaco', and the magazine's publisher Toutain collected several of his works in books. After devoting himself exclusively to illustrating (a.o. covers for DC since 1987), he returned to comics in 1993 with 'Zatanna', 'Aquaman' and 'The Atlantis Chronicles' for DC Comics. Also for Topps, he illustrated series like 'Cadillacs and 'Dinosaurs' and 'Lady Rawhide'. He joined the Italian Bonelli publishers in 1996, and illustrated several episodes of the series 'Brendon'.